The perfect storm of social media success isn’t just being human or just having your business needs met. It’s the collision of the two.
We want our business deals and transactions to:
- Save us money
- Earn us money
- Solve a persistent problem for the long term
- Solve a singular problem immediately
- Give us knowledge or expertise we didn’t have, and can apply
- Provide us with personal or lifestyle enhancements
Or any combination of the above (and more, I’m sure).
When it comes to dealing with people, we usually want one or more of these at a basic level:
- helpfulness
- courtesy
- friendliness
- personal, individual attention
There are more layers of human interaction, but some of them go beyond the bounds of what makes sense for business.
The sweet spot for the evolution of business communication is at the intersection of these. It’s great for me to save money, it’s even better if the transaction feels personal. It’s great to have my problem solved, it’s even better if the person or business solving it is genuinely friendly and courteous. It’s great to learn something new, it’s better when it’s delivered with a helpful, individual touch.
Non-profits have excelled at this model for generations, actually, which is why they’re so perfectly suited to things like social media. When done well, they’ve focused on their mission first, the people around it and among it second, and then used both of those things to fuel the business model (the grants, donations, sponsorships, and endowments). They’ve always operated in the crossroads between people and money. (Just because they don’t earn a profit doesn’t mean that money isn’t an issue. Don’t let that fool you.)
For a long time, we’ve focused on the first set of characteristics alone, feeling that a deal or a solution was enough of a “differentiator” in itself. It’s how we’ve “delivered value”. But the social web brings a bit of the human touch back to the equation, and highlights how much those interactions are enhanced accordingly.
Now, the value equation includes a human factor, too. Even if it’s a little one, a positive human element can do nothing but enhance the overall result. Do you agree?
So, how are you looking at the crossroads of people and business for your company? Both the people inside it, and outside it? How are you making each business transaction a little more human slanted? And how are you working that into your business model?
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Solid point Amber.
More and more for-profit businesses are understanding this and it’s evident through social media efforts. When have you heard of getting answers to your tech related issues from a corporation before? Best buy is doing and they are doing it well!
For businesses that have a face to them, a face to the brand, have the luxury of connecting with them easy as the person conveys who they are and their personality during their ads, videos, podcasts, and images.
Amber, do you think it’s a little more challenging for businesses to convey a more personal aspect to their service when they don’t have a face to their brand or worst…don’t interact with their clients? (GASP!)
Solid point Amber.
More and more for-profit businesses are understanding this and it’s evident through social media efforts. When have you heard of getting answers to your tech related issues from a corporation before? Best buy is doing and they are doing it well!
For businesses that have a face to them, a face to the brand, have the luxury of connecting with them easy as the person conveys who they are and their personality during their ads, videos, podcasts, and images.
Amber, do you think it’s a little more challenging for businesses to convey a more personal aspect to their service when they don’t have a face to their brand or worst…don’t interact with their clients? (GASP!)